A budding legacy

A budding legacy

Originally published in Spring 2008, this is just one of many stories from Madison magazine's award-winning Professors You Love series, written by JMU students and alumni, about the professors that have made the most impact on their lives — then, and now.

I met Dr. Norlyn Bodkin
in the summer of 1973
after a dismal freshman
year. I needed to
attend summer school,
and one of the classes
I took was his Biology 102.
Since that seven-week session,
I have known Dr. Bodkin to
be a very down-to-earth, personable
and dedicated teacher.
He is, in my opinion, one of
the most innovative professors
in the history of Madison.

On a class field trip that
summer of '73, we traveled
to Dolly Sods, W.Va., in Dr.
Bodkin' s home state. We
spent the entire day examining
and probing the wild fields.
Dr. Bodkin pointed out how
important the ecosystem is in
relationship to our existence
on this planet. He showed us
the various plant and animal
inhabitants native to the Dolly
Sods area. As always, he concerned
himself with seeing that
each student achieved his or
her maximum potential.

Dr. Bodkin's teaching philosophy,
which emphasized the
importance of hands-on learning,
was probably the impetus
for his proposal in 1977 that
JMU establish an arboretum.
Throughout his academic
career he led students into the
fields, woods and mountain
habitats of the region to study
plant life. He has also led
botanical trips to the Galapagos
Islands, upper Amazon rain forests and Ireland.

His arboretum dream blossomed into the Edith J. Carrier
Arboretum in 1985, and he served as director until his "semiretirement."
He still teaches
courses for the arboretum as
an educational coordinator.

Now the Edith J. Carrier
Arboretum and Botanical
Gardens hosts hundreds of
educational and recreational
field trips and tours for schoolchildren,
senior-citizen groups,
civic groups and community
clubs. Visitors learn about
nature, botany, horticulture,
plant species native to the
Appalachians and ecology,
thanks to Dr. Bodkin's legacy.

Outside the arboretum
and the biology department
labs, Dr. Bodkin also served
as a shining example to JMU
students. He published nine
articles in the Scientific Journal
during his career, and he
has been named to the highly
regarded Linnaeus Society of
London, England.

Following my introduction
to Dr. Bodkin in 1973, my
personal interactions
with him both academically and socially
have made him one of
my closest friends. His
influence is one of the
reasons I never left the
Shenandoah Valley.

The JMU Alumni
Association recognized
professor Bodkin with
its 1997 Distinguished
Service Award for his
leadership and dedication
to developing Madison's
educational facilities — especially the arboretum. Community
gardeners, nature buffs and flower fans all have a place to
learn and enjoy natural beauty thanks to Dr. Bodkin.

About the professor
Professor emeritus of biology and Edith J. Carrier
Arboretum educational coordinator Norlyn Bodkin's career at Madison
has been a "labor of love." As a dedicated professor of biology, his enthusiasm
inspired many in his classroom, who, with his mentoring and support,
have gone on to successful careers and are now inspiring students of their own.
Among the many research projects Bodkin has conducted with his students and
colleagues, one resulted in the discovery and naming of a new variety of trillium,
which drew national acclaim for Bodkin and a colleague.

About the author
Emil Rampacek Jr. ('76) is a "proud Madison
graduate of the nation's bicentennial year" and a sous chef at Mr. J's Bagels
in Harrisonburg. He has been with the restaurant since it opened 15 years
ago. He was recruited to Madison by the soccer coach, but ended up serving
as the first football team's kicker. He worked with the JMU catering team
under President Ronald Carrier's administration and served governors and
other officials visiting campus.